Happy New Year!! I’m so ready for 2014 it’s not even funny.
I didn’t always love change, but all this change I’ve been through in my short married life has weathered a new me, and I can honestly say that I love the refreshment change offers.
The winter months of November & December have quickly come & gone, and the fury of it all is starting to settle in. Where did the time go?! I honestly can’t believe that Thanksgiving & Christmas 2013 are a memory now, but oh, what sweet memories we made.
Jared & I decided that we wanted to stay home…in our home…for the holidays. It was so sweet to be together, and wow, how grateful we are for the family members of ours that made the trek up here to be with us. My parents, little brother, big brother (and family), grandma, grandpa, aunt, and cousin drove all the way here from Idaho to join us for Thanksgiving dinner, and we had such…a great…time. My grandpa’s little sister lives close by (blessing), and her & her husband were able to join us, too. It was a full house on Thanksgiving Day – filled with love & laughter – and amazing that it was our house. I’m so happy to know that we’re ingraining some memories into these walls.
We had an early morning outdoor breakfast the next day…as if we weren’t still stuffed from the day before, right?! But honestly, it was one of my favorite parts of the 3 days we had together.
Jared + pajama pants + spatula (all on front lawn) = awesomeness.
Fast forward two weekends later: I was the piano accompanist for a community Christmas concert two nights in a row, AnnMarie played in her first piano recital, and Jared’s parents paid us a visit. It was wonderful to have them here, and I know AnnMarie was tickled pink to have her grandparents at her first piano recital.
The warm-up:
My folks surprised me and came to the first night of the Christmas concert I was a part of. :) Talk about dedication - driving over 8 hours to see their daughter play the piano. I have been spoiled throughout my life with unconditional support & love in ways that I can never comprehend, but I will always be grateful for their involvement and ‘thumbs up’ in all I do.
And of course…the Decking of the Halls, the lighting of the Christmas tree, the wrapping of the gifts, the honoring of our Savior’s birth.
We enjoyed so many cozy nights with hot cocoa in front of this magic, and yes, I call it magic, because the majority of these gifts were delivered to us by loved ones (Santa’s helpers), and were not my doing.
We spent the rest of our stay-cation being together – board games, movies, service projects (more on that later), ice skating, bowling, storytelling, reading books, taking naps, and feeling blessed for good health, peace here & there, and basically, just being together.
And of course, Sit and Be Fit, with Mary Ann Wilson on PBS. I think my kids are ready to go back to school now.
